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In 1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Dorset like this:
Dorset, maritime co., on S. coast of England; is bounded N. by Somerset and Wilts, E. by Hants, S. by the English Channel, and W. by Devon; length, E. and W., 52 miles; breadth, N. and S., 37 miles; coastline, 75 miles; area, 627,265 ac.; pop. 191,028. The main features of the coast are Poole Harbour, St Alban's Head, and the singular projection called the Isle of Portland. ...
The principal streams are the Stour and the Frome. Great part of the co. is traversed by the two ranges of chalk hills called the North and South Downs, and the soil consists mainly of chalk, gravel, and sand, but is very fertile in the valleys. Wheat and barley are grown in the W. and N. Immense flocks of sheep are pastured on the Downs. Dairy farms are generally large, and dairy husbandry is carried to a very high point of perfection. (For agricultural statistics, see Appendix.) The only mineral of any importance is Portland stone, quarried in the Isle of Portland. There are mfrs., to some extent, of sailcloth, sacking, nets, paper, silk, &C., with malting and brewing, and iron-founding. The fisheries, especially of mackerel, are considerable, and ships and yachts are built at Poole. The co. comprises 34 hundreds, 22 liberties, 290 pars, and a part, and the mun. bors, of Blandford, Bridport, Dorchester, Lyme Regis, Poole, Shaftesbury, and Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. It is mostly in the diocese of Salisbury. For parl. purposes it is divided into 4 divisions, viz., Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western, 1 member for each division.
Vision of Britain presents long-run change by redistricting historical statistics to modern units. However, none of our modern units covers an area close to that of Dorset. If you want trends covering a particular location within the county, find it on our historical maps and then select "Tell me more".
How to reference this page:
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Dorset | Map and description for the county, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/17439
Date accessed: 11th February 2026
Click here for more detailed advice on finding places within A Vision of Britain through Time, and maybe some references to other places called "Dorset".
